Young Mountain Lions Moving From Oakland Zoo To New Home In SoCal

OAKLAND, CA — Thursday marked a new journey for two juvenile mountain lions destined for Palm Desert's Living Desert Zoo. Known as Rose and Sage, the pair who have lived in the Oakland Zoo's hospital for many months are at last being transferred to their new home and were set to arrive this weekend, a spokesperson for The Living Desert Zoo shared.

“When they arrive at The Living Desert, they will remain together. As they get accustomed to their new surroundings and build a relationship with their animal care team, they’ll spend time in a behind-the-scenes area of the zoo,” the Living Desert spokesperson shared on Facebook.

Once they are comfortable, Rose and Sage will be introduced into the mountain lion habitat in Eagle Canyon.

Brought in a few months apart, it is difficult to determine their exact age, according to Oakland Zoo spokesperson Isabella Linares, still, a few details are known about their history.

Sage, a male mountain lion, was rescued at a few months old in June. He was found inside a Pescadero High School classroom, hiding under a teacher’s desk at the northern California campus. He was underweight, anemic, with a severely fractured tooth and covered in ticks, according to Linares. Today, they estimate he is 9- to 11-month-old mountain lion.

Rose, a few months younger than Sage, was found first and in worse shape, according to the hospital keepers.

Hikers in the Thornewood Open Space Preserve in San Mateo spotted her, according to reports. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife and other officials located the cub and brought her to the Oakland Zoo in April. They found Rose orphaned, emaciated and malnourished when the hospital keepers gave her critical veterinary care, according to Linares. Today, Rose is a healthy juvenile mountain estimated at about 9- to 10-months-old.

The pair are not biologically related but have bonded while at the Oakland Zoo Veterinary Hospital.

Both cubs separated from their mothers too soon, according to Linares.

The veterinarians determined Rose would have been unable to survive in the wild without some human help and kindness, she said. Sage, found underneath a teacher's desk, was also judged too young and in need of medical care.

"Sage had to have a blood infusion from another mountain lion in residence at the Oakland Zoo," Linares said. "We were lucky to have a mountain lion match here at the zoo."

With three other mountain lions already living at the Oakland Zoo, Rose and Sage needed a home where they could stay together.

The Living Desert, accredited by The Association of Zoos and Aquariums, had room for both in their mountain lion habitat. After careful planning, the animal care staff in Palm Desert are awaiting the arrival of both juvenile mountain lions.

The Oakland Zoo has rescued and rehabilitated no fewer than 20 mountain lions. Hospital zoo keepers crate trained both cubs to go into the crates voluntarily. This helps ease their comfort level while on the move, the Oakland hospital zookeepers shared over Facebook.

"We will dearly miss these rescued mountain lions, as we do all of the injured and orphaned cubs we rehabilitate at our vet hospital, but we are excited for them to be at a permanent home," said Linares.

Another mountain lion known as Salem is already in residence at The Living Desert Zoo, in the mountain lion habitat known as Eagle Mountain. Salem is over 18-years-old and is one of the oldest mountain lions in human care, they say.

Though she is advanced in age, Salem still engages with guests at the window and trains with her care team, but will not be paired with the rambunctious juvenile mountain lions, according to the Living Desert Zoo.

“They have different energy levels and care needs than Salem, so they will be managed separately,” they said. “Once the pair are introduced to the mountain lion habitat, guests will see Salem or Rose and Sage.”

See the other mountain lions at the Oakland Zoo, located in Northern California at 9777 Golf links Rd, in Oakland.

The Living Desert Zoo is located in Southern California at 47900 Portola Ave in Palm Desert.